Car-replacer.



N0 698,986. Patented Apr. 29, I902.

A. J. MICHEL. BAR REPLACER.

(Ainplicetion filed Oct. 18, 1901.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT JACOB MICHEL, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-REPLACE-R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,986, dated April 29, 1902.

Application filed October 18,1901. Sal-a1 No. 79,155. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, ALBERT JACOB MICHEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Replacers; and I do hereby declare the follow ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in what are termed car-replacers, otherwise frogs.

It has for its object, primarily, to replace a derailed car; also, to provide for the'derailment of a car which it may be required to remove, as in substituting therefor another, or for other purpose.

It also contemplates the simplifying of the construction and reducing or lessening the number of parts and facilitating the handling thereof. a

It consists of the detailed construction and arrangement of the parts,- substantially as hereinafter more fully disclosed, and particu larly pointed out by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view thereof as applied to a railway-track for use. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of one of the members or frogs of the replacer. Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof.

It will be understood that I do not restrict myself to details, as they may be changed or varied at will without departing from the spirit of my invention and the same remain intact and yet be protected. V

In carrying out my invention I employ two frogs l 1 of peculiar construction, constituting the replacer. Each frog is the duplicate of the other and is a single casting, having, preferab1y-,eXtendingtherethrough longitudinallya channel or slot 2, opening downwardly throughout its length to receive and permit its placement upon or application to the rail. Said frog has one lateral edge portion formed or equipped upon its upper surface with a ledge or bead 3, beginning at a predetermined distance laterally from the rail-receiving slot or channel 2 at the rear base edge of said frog,

the rear edge of said bead gradually rounding or inclining upwardly and its upper surface extending horizontally clear to the forward end or edge of said frog. Said bead or ledge is also bodily inclined laterally inwardly to a point close to said rail-receiving slot or' channel, whence it extends the remainder of its length parallel with and directly overhangs said slot or channel, as at 3*, to bring the tread of the wheel of the derailed car directly in a line parallel with the top edge of the rail. The portion 3 of said bead, however, terminates laterally at its inner longitudinal edge in the plane of said rail-receiving slot to permit the wheel-flange as the wheel leaves said bead to be brought closely to or in the required relation with the rail for the proper replacement of the wheel upon the rail. Said bead is also rounded or inclined upwardly and outwardly more or less along its inner longitudinal edge to aid the guiding or slipping of the wheel laterally inwardly toward the center of the frog as said wheel is being moved or manipulated into position. This is further aided by inclining the general upper surface of the frog also downwardly and transversely toward the longitudinal center thereof. At the forward end or edge the upper surface of the frog is depressed or inclined downwardly and forwardly, as at 4, for clear ance for the wheel-flange when in transit from the frog to the rail.

The frog has its opposite lateral edge por* tion 5 inclined inwardly from the rear edge toward the forward edge of the frog. Also said lateral portion has its upper surface or area inclined longitudinally substantially throughout, also inclined downwardly and inwardly or transversely toward the center, and

upon said upper surface, at or near the rear end, are spaced-apart ribs or beads 6, prefer= ably of different lenghts. This opposite lateral structure, including the ribs or beads last referred to, is only of service or use in conjunction with the companion frog applied to the opposite rail of the track, the same being at the inner side of said rail, while the first-described or left-handed lateral portion of the other frog is at the outside of the lefthanded rail. Said opposite lateral structure serves, therefore, to guide or direct the opposite car-wheel toward the center of said comopposite rail, while the ribs or beads 6 of saidfrog, upon which the tread of said opposite car -wheel is desired to travel, remove or isolate the flange of the wheel from contact with the frog, and consequently prevent its cutting thereinto. It is also called to attention that this replacer is equally adapted for displacing or effecting the derailment of a car, as is also desirable, as will be readily appreciated. This is accomplished simply by reversing a frog end for end and placing it with the lateral bead portion 3 at the outside of the rail, only one frog in that case being used. Thus the car-wheels upon one side are run down the frog, while the wheels upon the opposite side will of course readily leave their rail, the flanges thereof being upon the corresponding side with the frog applied to the other rail. Said frogs may each have a 1101- lowed-out or concaved contour or surface in its underside, as at 7, with flattened or spreadout bearing portions at its ends, as at 8, and transversely of said hollowed-out or concaved surfaces may be cast or secured braces 8 to strengthen the same or compensate for light ness due to the aforesaid construction, as desirable.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the character described, a froghavingacontinuous lateral bead or tread extending inwardly toward one end, also inclining upwardly and forwardly at its opposite end, said bead being straight the remainder of its length, and said frog having its upper surface inclined downwardly toward its longitudinal center, substantially as set forth.

2. In a device of the character described, a frog having a rail-receiving slot in its under side, and having a continuous lateral bead or tread extending inwardly toward one end, also inclining upwardly and forwardly at its opposite end, said bead being straight the remainder of its length, and terminating at one end in the plane of said slot, and said frog havingits uppersurface inclined downwardly toward its longitudinal center, substantially as set forth.

3. In a device of the character described, a frog having a continuous lateral head or tread extending inwardly toward one end, also inclining upwardly and forwardly at its opposite end, said bead being straight the remainder of its length, said frog also having an opposite lateral edge portion also extending inwardly toward the first-referred-to end of the frog, the upper surface of said frog being inclined downwardly toward its longitudinal center, substantially as set forth.

4. In a device of the character described, a frog having a continuous lateral head or tread extending inwardly toward one end, also inclining upwardly and forwardly at its opposite end, said bead being straight the remainder of its length, said frog also having an opposite lateral edge extending inwardly and forwardlytoward the first-referred-to end of the frog, the uppersurface of said frog being inclined downwardly toward the longitudinal center thereof also longitudinally, substan tially as set forth.

5. In a device of the character described, a frog having a continuous lateral head or tread extending inwardly toward one end, also inclining upwardly and forwardly at its opposite end, said bead being straightthe remainder of its length, said frog also having an opposite lateral edge also extending inwardly toward the first-referred-to end of the frog, and having an upper surface inclined transversely downwardly toward its longitudinal center, also longitudinally, and additional treads or ribs arranged upon said upper surface, at or near the rear end, substantially as set forth. 7

6. In a device of the character described, a frog having a continuouslateral head or tread extending inwardly toward one end, also inclining upwardly and forwardly at its opposite end, said bead being straight the remainder of its length, said frog having a rail-receiving slot and an opposite lateral edge also extending inwardly toward the first-referred to end of the frog, and having an upper surface inclined transversely downwardly toward its longitudinal center, and longitudinally, and additional treads or ribs arranged upon said upper surface, at or near the rear end, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT JACOB MICHEL.

Witnesses:

TIMOTHY J onus, J. II. BLOOMER. 

